A molecular phylogeny and a revised classification of tribe Lepisoreae (Polypodiaceae) based on an analysis of four plastid DNA regions

Phylogenetic relationships within the palaeotropical tribe Lepisoroideae (Polypodiaceae) were investigated by studying sequence variation of four plastid DNA regions: rbcL, rps4 plus rps4-trnS IGS, trnL intron plus trnL-F IGS, rbcL-atpB IGS plus part of atpB. In total, over 4000 nucleotides were sequenced for 39 species. Seven well-supported clades were found in the analyses of the combined data set. We provide a new classification of Lepisoroideae by integrating phylogenetic results and known variation of morphological characters. The two small genera Neocheiropteris and Tricholepidium are supported as monophyletic, the genus Paragramma is resurrected and the genera Lepisorus, Neolepisorus, Lemmaphyllum and Lepidomicrosorium are re-circumscribed. We proposed 14 new combinations, among which Caobangia is treated as a synonym of Lemmaphyllum. A key for identifying the recognized genera is presented. (C) 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 162, 28-38.